Trivet lifter



March 5, 1957 A. H. EDGERTON TRIVET LIFTER Filed June 14. 1954 INVENTOR. 147877107? 7 EOGF/PTON United States Patent TRIVET LIFTER Arthur H. Edgerton, Rocky River, Ohio Application June 14, 1954, Serial No. 436,534 3 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) This invention relates to improvements in tools for lifting work holders or trivets from heated kilns when firing enamel coated articles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a self-energized finger on a lifting tool for clamping the trivet during the elevation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lifter which is designed to firmly grip the base of a trivet irrespective the Warped condition thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lifter embodying a finger which is actuated by the weight of the trivet and the work carried thereby.

Further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a tool which is sturdy of structure, light in weight, economic of manufacture, and eificient of operation.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing, and the manner in which all the various objects are realized, will appear in the following description, which considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved lifter, a portion of the handle rod being broken away in order to illustrate the moving parts of the lifter upon an enlarged scale.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, a portion of the handle rod being broken away and shown in section in the interest of clarity.

Fig. 3 is a similar elevational view illustrating the moving parts of the lifter in their actuated position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the tool illustrating the clamping relation of the finger with a fragmentary portion of a trivet (shown in dotted lines); and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the blade of the lifter, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, the lifter comprises a tongue or plate having upwardly directed lineal flanges 11 on the opposed sides thereof which are of suflicient height to clear the bolt heads in the base of the trivet and provide a line contact between the plate and a trivet having a warped base member. The inner end of the plate is formed with vertically disposed cars 12, preferably struck from the body of the stock, and bent upwardly for the support of a pin 13 constituting the fulcrum for a finger 14 which is formed with a depending lip 15 on the free end thereof disposed adjacent the central portion of the working face of the plate. The plate 10 is further provided with a second pair of upturned ears 16 pierced to receive a pin 17 for the pivotal support of a handle rod 18 which is drilled with an axial opening 19 in the inner end thereof to provide a clearance hole for the reception of the inner end of the finger 14. The outer end of the rod 18 is provided with a shield 20 to protect the hand of the user from the heated kiln, the shield being secured on the rod by nuts or collars 21. The free end of the rod 18 has a handle 22, of any conventional form, mounted thereon.

In operation the outer end of the tongue or plate 10 is pressed against the floor of the kiln, or any other hori zontal surface upon which the trivet rests to efiect the depression of the inner end of the finger 14 and the elevation of the free end thereof. While in this position the tool is advanced forwardly until the plate 10 is under the base of the trivet as shown in Fig. 4. Thereafter the handle rod may be tipped to effect the elevation of the bored end thereof and the consequent engagement of the lip 15 of the finger with the upper face of the base of the trivet (Fig. 5). With the litter in this position the trivet and work piece supported thereon may be safely carried about incident the insertion in or withdrawn from, the heated kiln without danger of mishap or accidental displacement.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for lifting a work holder from a heated kiln comprising a rectangular plate, a pair of ears projecting from the plate adjacent the inner end thereof, a handle rod having an axial bore in the end thereof pivoted between said ears, a second pair of ears projecting from the plate forward the first named ears, a stiif wire finger pivoted between the last named ears, the inner end of said finger being smaller than said bore in the handle rod and protruding therein a distance greater than the diameter of the bore whereby the inner end of the finger will wedge in the bore and limit upward movement of the finger upon elevation of the handle.

2. A tool for lifting a work holder from a heated kiln comprising a rectangular plate, vertical ribs of uniform height on the sides thereof, a handle rod having an axial bore in the inner end thereof pivoted on said plate adjacent its inner end, a wire finger pivoted on said plate in coaxial alignment with said handle rod and in spaced relation therewith, a depending lip on the free end of said finger engageable with the plate intermediate its outer end and the pivot for the finger, said finger being smaller in diameter than said bore and protruding therein whereby said depending lip will engage and clamp the base of a work holder resting on said ribs when the handle rod is depressed.

3. A tool for lifting a work holder from a heated kiln comprising a rectangular plate, vertically disposed ribs of uniform height on the lineal sides thereof, a pair of up standing ears on said plate adjacent the inner end thereof, a handle rod having an axial bore in the inner end thereof pivotally mounted between said ears, a second pair of upstanding ears on said plate disposed in spaced relation with the first named ears, a wire finger pivotally mounted between the second named cars, a lip on the outer end of said finger depending below the top of said ribs, the inner end of said finger being telescopically engaged in said bore in the handle, the diameter of said finger being smaller than the diameter of said bore whereby the inner end of said finger will lock in the bore and limit the movement of the free end of the finger upon elevation and depression of said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,179,976 Stroway Apr. 18, 1916 1,862,680 Hutchinson June 14, 1932 2,132,570 Leone Oct. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 30,630 Sweden Apr. 15, 1911 

